Panlilio: Restrain movement of chief revisors

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to restrict the movement of the heads of the 21 revision committees recounting the votes in the 2007 gubernatorial race.

In an urgent motion, Panlilio, through lawyer Sixto Brillantes, said the revision heads must “remain and stay put in their respective posts and revision tables all the time while the process of revision is ongoing, continuing and in progress, save in exceptional instances.”

“This motion seeks to rectify the observed practice of several committee chairpersons who constantly leave their posts even as the revision process is proceeding, in progress and ongoing... with some of them most probably attending to other matters and chores possibly unrelated to the revision process,” he said.

The Comelec is presently recounting the gubernatorial votes from Pampanga in connection with the electoral protest filed by former provincial board member Lilia Pineda, who lost to Panlilio in 2007.

Panlilio said such a practice “renders ineffective the revision process, rendering undignified the critical process of revision.”

In the event a chief revisor leaves his post, he said the process must be suspended.

Panlilio gave assurance that he will “interpose no objection” if the Comelec replaces head revisors if they are “unable to stay in place.”

“The duty and obligation of the head revisor/chairperson cannot (be) underestimated and the same must be performed sufficiently (and) adequately, with the head revisor/chairperson staying put in his post, by not abandoning the same and by not leaving the post remaining and constantly present therein,” he added.     – Sheila Crisostomo